STATEMENT OF MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SIGNING OF A DISASTER DECLARATION FOR AREAS OF NEW YORK CITY DAMAGED BY THE SEPTEMBER TORNADOES

"By signing a Public Assistance Declaration for Queens,
Brooklyn and Staten Island, President Obama has cleared the way for the
reimbursement of millions of dollars of costs incurred by New York City for
clean up following the violent storm that struck on September 16th. Two
tornadoes and a violent windstorm left a deadly trail of destruction that downed
thousands of trees, destroyed hundreds of sections of sidewalk, and caused
severe damage to some homes and businesses. The declaration means that New
York City will be reimbursed for nearly 90 percent of the cost of the massive
clean-up effort and for the repairs to sidewalks, parks and playgrounds in
neighborhoods in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens.

"I want to thank President Obama for dispatching a team
to survey the damage and for quickly reviewing New York City's case. I also want
to thank the hundreds of New Yorkers who picked up trees and branches in their
neighborhoods and also those who called 311 to report storm damage. Those calls
helped us show the survey teams the hardest hit parts of the City and helped New
York City meet the application requirements for this declaration. The Federal
government is still considering whether to award individual assistance for those
who suffered uninsured losses, and I am hopeful that request will be granted.

"I'd also like to thank Governor Paterson and the State
Emergency Management Office for sending the City's application to Washington and
Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and the New York City
congressional delegation for their efforts to see that this application through
the process, particularly Representatives Anthony Weiner, Gary Ackerman, Michael
McMahon and Joe Crowley, whose districts were hard hit. Members of the City
Council, State Assembly and State Senate also contributed to the effort.

"Crews from across the City responded to the
storm-damaged areas, as well as crews from Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk
counties; several state agencies; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey;
and the National Guard. I'd like to thank them all, along with the City Office
of Emergency Management, the Parks Department and the Department of Design and
Construction for their efforts."